MMO3804 - Possible post-medieval water meadow west of The Old Rectory (Monument)

Ditches seen as earthworks on aerial photographs, between the River Bray and the Old Rectory, near Rooksfoot Bridge, may simply be field drains or could be the remains of a post-medieval water meadow, know locally as a catch meadow. In this system of land improvement, approximately parallel gutters were used to distribute flowing water evenly over the surface of the meadow in order to prevent freezing in winter and encourage early growth in spring, thereby providing extra feed for livestock. The system is visible over an area measuring 190 metres by 55 metres and is centred at SS 6871 4041. [1-3] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [4]